This skunk made its way into a backyard on Sylvain Street where it died before being disposed of by the homeowners. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Akerman)

ROCHESTER — Kathy Akkerman had spent the afternoon gardening in her backyard Wednesday before heading in around dinner time, only to return to her back steps to find a skunk.

The wafting stench had drawn her to her back porch where she spotted a large black and white critter, she estimated it was more than 2 feet long, just at the bottom of her stairs.

She noticed the skunk just before 6 p.m. and monitored it sporadically for a few hours.

“It didn't move,” said Akkerman. The skunk had died just outside her kitchen window on her back patio.

“The stench was awful. We couldn't open our windows,” she said.

In a bid to get rid of the smelly creature, she called the Rochester police and was told to call Fish and Game or the city's Department of Public Works.

With both closed for the evening, she was left to deal with stench through the night. As neighborhood pets caught the scent, she was tasked with scaring off curious cats for fear the dead animal may have carried a disease, even rabies.

Thursday morning, Akkerman reached out to DPW who told her that they only respond to animals in the road. Fish and Game, who typically deals with live wild animals, offered to remove the animal, but not until much later in the day.

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Photo courtesy of Kathy Akerman
A skunk waddled onto the back patio of a home on Sylvain Street in Rochester where it died, leaving the homeowners to get it off their property themselves.

Akkerman took matters into her own hands. She grabbed a snow shovel and gloves, scooped up the critter, and called the DPW to report the dead animal in the street just after noon. She suggested they come by before the nearby Maple Street Magnet School got out. They responded, removing the critter just after 2 p.m.

“I didn't know how to dispose of it,” she said.

While Akkerman was offered little advice on how to handle the situation, she did remove the animal properly. However, city police urge residents to dispose of the animals in one of two ways.

“We recommend you use gloves, bag it up and dispose of it in your trash can. Burying the animal is another option,” said Capt. Paul Toussaint.

Animal Control Officer Sue Paradis said that for those who are incapable of removing and disposing of the animal, the department recommends calling friends or family for help.

While Akkerman was told to contact the DPW, the department's policy actually only allows it to remove and dispose of animals within the city's right of way, which includes roadways and sidewalks. Even then, domestic animals in the road would be dealt with by ACO Paradis.

One of Akkerman's greater concerns was that the animal, which wandered into her yard during daylight hours, may have rabies. Paradis said the department gets many reports of non-rabid animals scurrying around during daylight hours.

“A skunk walking into a yard in the daytime and dying isn't enough to indicate rabies,” she said. She explained that because of the cost of testing and the number of animals being tested, the state only tests those that have had direct contact with a person or a domestic pet.

While the city does not respond to dead animals on private property, the Police Department urges anyone in a similar situation to remove the animal using gloves and a shovel and dispose of the animal in a trash as soon as possible.